wma package does not get installed in NT4!

[narayan]

I tried to install the two wma9 packages provided in the codec page. There is an error message that this package is not meant for the NT4 OS. I still restarted the PC and started dMC.

The error reported is:

"Could not find entry point WMCreateSyncReader in WMCore.dll"

Is there a separate wma9 package for NT4?

[Spoon]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

That should be installed with WMAdist, does that not install?

[narayan]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

I installed the following:
1. db-wmfdist-wma9.exe
2. dBpowerAMP-codec-wmav9.exe

The installation of the first exe file gives this error message:

Windows media configuration manager
"This application is not supported on this operating system. For information about requirements, see http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia. Setup will now close."

When I press "OK", another message pops up: "WMA series 9 runtime setup has completed."

Then, when I try to install the second exe file, it gives this message:

MusicCovter.exe-Entry point not found
"The procedure entry point WMcreateSyncReader could not be located in the dynamic link library WMVCore.dll."

Even then, I restarted the PC and run dMC. But it does not show wma files in the "file | open" dialog box.

To sum up, the wma9 codec do not get installed on NT4.

When I visited the microsoft site, I found this: "You can install Microsoft® Windows Media® Encoder 9 Series on a computer running Microsoft Windows® XP, Windows 2000, or Windows Server™ 2003"
(refer to this page: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...r/default.aspx)
and also this page for system requirements:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...er/sysreq.aspx)

Other windows versions (like 95/98/Me/NT4) are not mentioned at all!
****************
I checked further, and found that WMA 7.1 is suitable for NT4 etc..
(Ref: page http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...er/sysreq.aspx)

The site also provides WMA8 for downloading, but is silent about system requirements..

Should I try WMA 8 or WMA7.1 instead? Will those versions work with dMC? What would be the loss in quality/conversion capability (as compared to wma9) ? (I think the variable rate is not available in older versions).

**********
Going by the information provided by Microsoft itself, all users having Windows 95/98/Me/NT4 will have the same problem. It is really surprising that this problem is not reported so far! Probably users don't deal with wma files so often; and that's why they don't come across the problem...

[narayan]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

I did a bit of more searching, and found that the WMA8 is actually a commandline utility, which supports variable bit rate. Considering that, probably we can't use WMA8 as a plugin with dMC.

[narayan]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

I installed the dMC and the wma codecs in a Win 2k machine (I had to install both wma9 executables: just the wma9 codecs reported error even in Win 2k PC).

The bottomline is: dMC converts the wma files beautifully on Win 2k.

On the other hand, I installed the wma7.1 codecs on my NT4 PC and restarted it; but it still can't convert the wma foiles to MP3.

That confirms the problem: Win 95, 98 and NT4 users won't be able to convert wma files, as they can't install wma9 codecs.

Help, someone!!

[Spoon]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

Go for WMA v8:

http://www.dbpoweramp.net/codecs/dBpowerAMP-codec-wmav8.exe

[narayan]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

I ran the WMA 8 installer, but during the installation itself, the installer gives a message that "wma 7.1 is being installed". (There is no message about wma 8 during the entire installation.)

At the end of the installation, it gave a message about entry point not found. (This, again, is same as what happens when I install WMA 7.1)

Even then I restarted the PC, and started dMC. Immediately, the following error message pops up:
MusicCovter.exe-Entry point not found
"The procedure entry point WMcreateSyncReader could not be located in the dynamic link library WMVCore.dll."

And the wma extension does not appear in the open file(s) to convert dialog box.

My conclusion: this wma8 installer seems to install a wrong version (v7.1) of the codec.

Another possibility: Earlier I had tried to install both wma v9 and v7.1 on this same PC. Thay could have some undesirable registry entries and dlls behind. Question is: how to clean up the vestiges of v7.1 and v9?
* What registry keys/values shoul I edit/erase?
* Which application(s) should I uninstall using the control panel?

[Spoon]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

Install WMAv9 (just the small file) then uninstall the WMAv9 codec. Reboot install wma v8

[narayan]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

That didn't work:

I installed the smaller (263 kB) file, and then started the control panel to uninstall wma9. But I did not find the wma9 package listed there.

I only found the wma7.1 package in the control panel, which I uninstalled (to be on safer side). It gave a warning, but I want ahead with rebooting, and then I installed wma8.

As in last try, wma8 gave a message during the installation that installation of wma7.1 redistribution is complete. I pressed OK, and then there was a bit of further processing, and then the message about "missing entry point" popped up (same as before).

When I started dMC, the following error popped up (as before):
MusicCovter.exe-Entry point not found
"The procedure entry point WMcreateSyncReader could not be located in the dynamic link library WMVCore.dll."

I started the Control Panel to see the status, and found that no wma installations are listed at all.

What should I do?

I have full admin privileges on this PC.

P.S. I have WinAmp5. It can play wma files. Will that interfere with dMC function?

[Evil_king]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

I assume you don't have win95,98,ME as I have windows ME and wma 9 works perfectly. :D

[narayan]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

No- My remarks were purely based on the "System requirements" section of Microsoft's download site (URL is given in the earlier post).

If it works in other systems, fine; but it is not guaranteed. Someone else with Windows ME may not be in the same happy position.

Unless some NT4 users confirm that wma9 works fine, I suppose we should stick with the assumption that this is not a local/isolated problem with my PC.

[Spoon]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

For uninstall it should be 'dMC Windows Media Audio Codec' or some such

[narayan]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

Thanks, spoon! That worked beautifully.

I was looking for the installed wma9 driver starting with "Windows..." (I actually did find a windows wma9 entry, and that mislead me).

The installation process is definitely not straightforward, and a lot of NT4/95/98 (and possibly ME) users will have the same problem that I faced. I think the wma codec page should provide step-by-step instructions, so that Windows NT4/95/98 users know what to do.

Specifically, I have the following suggestions for your wma codec page:
1. Add a "Download wma8 (for Windows NT4/95/98/ME users)" link.
2. Include the instructions you gave me through the posts in this forum. I have prepared the help text (see below). Hope that would be useful:

Instructions for Windows NT4/95/98/ME users:

Sometimes the wma codec (dBpowerAMP-codec-wmav9.exe) may not work properly (it reports "Entry point not found" error). Installing the wma9 distribution (db-wmfdist-wma9.exe) does not help for these users.

In such cases, follow these steps:

1. Download the wma8 codec from here:

http://www.dbpoweramp.net/codecs/dBpowerAMP-codec-wmav8.exe

2. Run the wma9 codec first (dBpowerAMP-codec-wmav9.exe)
3. Uninstall the wma9 codec (important: the control panel shows this codec as "dbPowerAMP WMA V9 codec")
4. Reboot the PC
5. Install the wma8 codec.

[Spoon]

Re: wma package does not get installed in NT4!

Will do, thanks